It was a full house at the Eckville shelter overnight. Almost everyone was up at dawn to beat the heat. It rained the previous afternoon and overnight so all was damp.
One couple hiking south from Pawling NY extolled the virtues of camping the night before at the Blue Mountain Summit B&B, as it allows hikers to access their water spigot and dump trash. I thought I might try that, as the Allentown Hiking Club shelter would mean too short a day.
Like the day before, I started early without breakfast to cross a stream and climb to the ridge before it got warm (pictures). I was following Cruizer for awhile, but she outpaced me on the ridge. Another thru-hiker starting from Eckville caught up with me at Dan's Pulpit (pictures), not surprising as he is an ultra marathon runner. He quickly disappeared ahead. He and others hoped to meet a trail angel at Bake Oven Knob shelter who apparently moves up the trail feeding hikers. That shelter is a little too far for me, and not really a place that I wanted to stay as it is a hangout spot for local kids.
There was a light rain in the morning as I traversed another rocky section (pictures), so it made the rocks extra slippery. I fell hard for the first time crossing a seemingly safe flat rock when both my hiking pole and shoe slipped on top. I landed on my right side after an appropriate expletive, luckily only with minor elbow cuts and some scrapes, quickly addressed with Band-Aids and antibiotic ointment.
I stopped about 11am at the Allentown shelter to make a register entry. A very nicely maintained shelter (pictured), so I'm almost sorry I didn't stay. I wasn't back on the trail very long before I ran into Rockdawg again, heading south. He gave me some updates on the trail ahead, and was heading for the Allentown shelter to rest due to the increasing heat. He suggested I might make the B&B in time for lunch.
The rest of the hike was on service road with pretty flowers abundant (pictures), so fairly easy after the rocks. I made it to the B&B just before 1pm, left my pack and poles on the front porch as a sign requested, then went out back for a quick wash up and shirt change.
Oh, this was a great plan! I had a great lunch with a delicious crab bisque and a chicken, avocado and bacon sandwich with cole slaw and sweet potato fries (pictured). I wish I had room for dessert.
I asked if I could camp in the grassy picnic area out back and got permission from the manager, so I spent time setting up my tarp (still rather sloppy) and bivy.
It was still early, so I walked an AT access trail that leads to the picnic area, considered my options for the trail ahead, then got under the tarp when it began to rain, flicking out various bugs that tried to join me.
The B&B has a live band tonight and I could get another meal, but I decided to stay in (getting in and out under the tarp is a clumsy affair, and I'm settled). At least it has gotten cooler and less humid for the evening. I just hope my tarp stays in place with the occasional gusts of wind!
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